Steam trap



Feb. 27, 1923. 1,447,102.

1. RAE,

STEAM TRAP.

FILED :uurxs. 1921.

Patented Feb. 27, 1923.

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B v t k o n that I, Jenn RA a i ize of the ,United States, residing in Rhiladelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented Steam Traps,,o f which the following isa specification. i v

Qn eobject of this invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive, durable device oncomhination of parts ior automatically separat ing water flQIIIStQflID, and more partlcularly for permitting escape of water of ,condensa} tion from a pipeline, while preventing the escape of steam under pressure. p

I further desire 1120 provide a vdevice of the above character, which whileeliectually preventing the .escape of steam, shall permit flow of water from a conduitor container "at any of several pressures below a predetermined maximum, the invention contemplating an easily installed. combination which shall require a minimum of attention with practically no liability of getting out of order; I g

These objects and other advantageous ends I attain .as hereinafter set forth, reference being had to the accompanying -drawings,.in which,

Fi g. 1 is a side elevation, to some extent diagrammatic, illustrating my invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation, partly in section and on a larger solejchan Fig.1, further il ust at ng the i v nt i; a q f i Fig. ,3 ,a full size. vertical section th 'o g ec va v il hmay be used in connection with, m part of the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 andv2. h 4 e n the abovevdrawings, i l represents .a pipe leading from a steain line} steam using apparatus, steam exhaust line, or other structure containing. 01' ac nvey ngi s eam f o which it1is desirable to separa :QQndensed Water '01 otherliquid. The endot this pipe 1isiconnected-through a T fitting Q a c'heck i i-v6.3 and as condT fit ing l; o a re ap tacle'such as the tank 5;which in n present instance is designed to separate 'o'il 'from the water discharged into it. This tank has a vertically extending partition 6 dividing it into two compartments 7 and 8, which are connected through an opening 9 in or under the bottom of said partition ;the pipeline 1 delivering into the upper. part of the compartment 7 and a water delivery pipe 10 being connected to the upper part of the compartment 8, preferably at a level slightlybelow that of the pipe 1., Two oppositely tweenthe cheok valveB and the to the tank 5.

132, 1. v,se iaiivo. asi ase.

one above theot-her in the compartment 7" 3 f I so as to sucr'zessivelyreceive the liquid dis charged from .the pipe 1;. Q'llhel T'fitting Q GO is connected rto-flonefanin 13; of" a.-.';U -sha 'p e'd conduit whose second and longer a, tends above-the level l desired height and .is fconnectedfat anygde: v sired number of diflerent. points to a :venti' conduit. 15, through one or morecheckv-alves r 3 3 3?, etc. The lower end of wispi pe i 1.5 is connected to ,the delivery pipe l be-I, kIf5I Said che'ck valve is of the'normally p n 7 type and is designed to automatically close mall-yacted on by a spring 22so that "8T0 to r ma in i s ;QP1 -PQ iQ1 @W- Y In its seat. For th s purposefltheupp er nd of said valve extended sons to be .operated i s vjmea i w nt-21 t eaded through thegt o p ogt- 'the. v'alve pasillggfi ld acting against it; This spindle or stem adjusted as ,to hold the --va-lve;ele;r ne" F21 01 9 un i any sma in sjsuref With'hi e cfls ng 1 3 1 0 su a poin a t suspend o fl e e hroiigh a a vve qe ty .if r t e t cau e a elem n t mpi e in enga ment .wi'th its seat againstthe mien ,oruie spring.22,' and" it will remain-seated until the pressure in the casing falls"v sufiiciently to permit the spring ft o again iopen it. The Wives :l f 1 being v-S ll il a i ml struction to the valve 3 like "it amad ugad 1' to close at a definiteand" predetermined pre ure- Y Y Y Y U de cond tio f useif zthe {dripping l he C nn t d, t an exhau team ant; to a p ea he condense weer :i ;the a f-= ter Willfirst flow into and fill the 13-14 up to the level of said pipe 1. There-" after said water will pass through the check valve 3 and into the separatingtank 5 as long as there is insuflicient pressure to cause olosing of the valve element 21,-in a given case as long as the pressure .ofthe' Water 110 remains below two pounds itfiows quietly 'lVhen it risesnbove this pressure endeavors to pass through'i t, :7

typlcalof a valve-which ,rnay beusedj providedwith annular.seat 2Q ad- I whereupon the steam in the pipe v the movable valve element 2l will be v thence into the tank 5.

I to fall to substantially zero pressure,

r upwardly point the pressure acts on the valve element 21 to cause it to move into engagement with the seat 20. No further flow of water will thereafter occur until its pressure falls, when the valve will open and water will. again flow until it is completely discharged,

' l. flowing at a higher pressure and velocity than said water, at once closes said valve.

If while the water is flowing through the valve?) the pressure in the pipe 1 be raised, seated as above noted and the water in the U pipe 13-1-it will be forced upwardly in the long arm of saidpipe which is intended mainly to hold enough water. to fill the vertical branch 14; for the' maximum pressure desired. It the water in said branch is below a definite pressure, say two pounds to the square inch, it may "flow through the open check valve .3 through the pipe 15 and Again, however, if its pressure exceeds two pounds to the square inch, the second check valve will close and will open only after the pressure has fallen to two pounds. It the pressure continues the valve 3 will open and permit the escape into the tank 5 of the water in the branch let above the level of the pipe'l. The two'lines l4: and 15 may be extended to any desired height and connected at two or more points by other check valves arranged in parallel with valve 3, as indicated at any of a number of different pressures, but will in no case allow escape of steam, since the smallest pressure of the latter is sufficient to close any one of the valves 3-3, if admitted into the valve casing.

'Thedevice thus has a free outlet todrain an exhaust steam line and at the same time is capable of likewise draining the water from this line even though the steam pressure rose to any of a number of different higher points as might be the case when one or several steam using devices were deliveringexhaust steam into it independently of a backpressure valve which would be set to take care of a maximum pressure in the exhaust line. I I i From the above description it will be appreciated that the device is of relatively simple and inexpensive construct-ion and may not only be quickly and conveniently installed but will at all times be ready for operation even though it has been out of service for some time. Obviously any oil mixed with the water delivered to the tank 5 will remain on the surface of that portion or said water within the compartment 7, since nothing but water will pass through the opening 9 into the compartment 8, and this oil may be withdrawn from the compartment 7 when necessary or desirable. Moreover by the multiple'or parallel con nection of the check valves above described, liquid at any of several pressures may be delivered from a steam pipe or container without permitting escape of any steam.

I claim: Y

1. The combination in a steam trap system of a plurality of normally open check valves connected in parallel to a common source of the fluid under pressure and operative to close at different pressures.

2. The combination in a steam trap sys tem of a pipe to be drained; a plurality of normally open check valves connected to said pipe in parallel relation to each other and at different levels relatively to the pipe to permit escape of water therefrom at any of several pressures.

3. The combination in a steam trap system of a plurality of normally open check valves connected in parallel relation; with means for causing said valves to close successively as the pressure of fluid delivered to them is increased.

4. The combination of a fluid conveying conduit having a U-shaped branch; with normally open check valves connected respectively to said conduit and to said U- shaped branch. 5. The combination of a fluid delivery pipe; a normally open check valve therein; a U-shaped branch having arms of unequal length and having. its shorter arm connected to and extending downwardly from said conduit; with a second check valve con nected to the upper part of the longer arm of said branch and also connected to' the conduit beyond the first check valve.

6. The combination of a steam. drip pipe; a riser connected thereto; a normally open check valve connected to said pipe beyond the riser; and a: plurality of other check valves connected at different levels between the riser and the drip pipe beyond the first check valve. y I

JOHN RAE. 

